It’s difficult trying to explain to people here that we don’t eat ugali back in the States. They automatically conclude then that there must not be any corn in America. You tell them that actually there is, in fact, corn available.
“But…then how…is…there no…ugali…?” Fritos anyone?
Same goes for tribalism. Here, and in most of Africa, your tribe is synonymous with your identity. It dictates where you were born, what food you eat and the local greetings you used. Tell your average villager that we don’t have tribes in America and you may as well add on that our sky is hot pink, too. It’s just a difficult concept for them to grasp and frustrating to try and explain.
Recently, I gave up the argument and instead am exercising a little “creative license”, if you will, with the anthropology of home. Now, I say that yeah, most of my tribe comes from the southern region of the U.S. Our food is this stuff called “barbeque” and it’s made from smoked pig meat and that only the folks in my tribe can make it properly (although many other tribes often attempt to make it but inevitably fail every time). We’re also known for drinking the local beverage called “sweet tea” which, just like Tanzanian chai, involves lots of sugar, but is served cold-yes, cold. The local “pombe” is made from corn, is dark in color and is called “bourbon”.
Then I teach them our tribal greetings. I tell them that just like Kinyaturu, KiAlabama has specific singular and plural greetings. For one person, we say, “hey”. For more than one, we say “hey Y’ALL”. “Roll Tide” may also be used in various situations where a joyful ululation is required and is used to encourage camaraderie among fellow tribesman, as well as used as a war-cry when directed at foes.
I find all of this isn’t entirely untrue and makes my biography so much more relatable. Besides it made my day when upon passing a group of mamas, selling fruit under a big tree, Joe waved, and without hesitating threw them a “hey y’all”!
Just doing what I can to foster cultural exchange.
Love it!
ROLL TIDE!
OH! This is by far my most favorite post yet. It’s so relatable to me as well because even though I am here in midwest corporate America everyone I work with (via teleconference) is on the east coast. When I first started with this group of accounts they would ofter poke fun at me for my accent and were basically completely uneducated on the huge importance of college football. Then, the fall came and I would sign ALL emails with “Roll Tide” and if we were having an exceptionally good day/week I would exclaim that “we were Rolling like the Tide!” Now, my uneducated New Englanders know that the best way to drive my performance is to compliment God’s football team that resides in Tuscaloosa and sign all corespondence with and RTR!
Love you!
Please forgive all typos…I was so excited about this my typing got out of control! yikes!
This is why I love you so much! I miss you Cecelia Marie!